What kind of chews/bones do you give your small dog?

Small dogs have big personality! This is the place to talk up your favorite small breeds, ask questions, and share tips and stories. Be sure to visit our Small Dog Breeds area for profiles of all your favorite small dog breeds, featured articles, and more!

I'm really puzzling over what to give Carter to chew on, because all the things they sell in stores are either rawhide or seem way too big for him. What do you all with small dogs give your dogs? Thanks in advance for any answers

I give Keeva a Bully Stick to gnaw on. I get them at the Feed store. They cost about $5 but they last her a long time. I have to admit I have also given her Dingo rawhide bones. I don't really understand why the rawhide is so bad???? She chews and chews and chews on it and seems to enjoy them so much. Never has had a problem like choking or anything like that. I am anxious to see what others give their small dogs. Good question!

Rawhide doesn't digest well so it may cause blockage, especially if a big piece is broken off and not chewed properly. I used to give them to Nick, but he cut his gums all the time on them. Antler chews are used as a safer alternative to rawhides.

I use bully sticks, tendons, duck feet, and antlers (deer usually any other type is a little too large for the doxies to carry around). My dachshunds chew the same things as my big dogs, I try to get a smaller size but they manage with any size I have given them. Marrow bones tend to be difficult for them to carry around which is the only reason I did not list them...the dogs love them but the doxies cannot move it until they have been working on it for awhile!

Sandy gets a plethora of chews. But she has very strong teeth and a very strong jaw, so I trust her with them. Of course, I still supervise her... but she's pretty good about chewing off only what she can swallow. She is partial to Nylabones (the original kind is the ONLY kind she'll chew, which is annoying since most stores do not carry them in her size any longer) and bully sticks. I always have to buy her a size UP because of how strong her jaw is!

Sweeney, OTOH, I'm more cautious with. He gets Nylabones frequently and he likes them. They have them in tiny, small, and medium. All of which are good for the various sizes of small dogs and the various strengths of their jaws. I don't give him bully sticks or anything. Last time I did, he tried to swallow a piece that was WAY too big for his tiny throat. So, just Nylabones and similar chews for Sweeney.

Rawhides... rawhides... rawhides... I gave them to Lilo, Chance, and Cinnamon for many years with no problem. Until one day a piece swelled in Cinnamon's throat and she choked on it. In a panic, I pulled it out (I didn't know what else to do). I will never give rawhide again. If one wants to take the gamble, that's entirely up to them. But I don't think it's safe/healthy at all. It swells when wet, which can cause blockages or if the dog is like Cinnamon was (she chewed for a long time before swallowing, at which point a small piece would be MUCH bigger than what she bit off) it can get lodged in their throat. There are many safer alternatives to rawhide. And not all of them are as expensive as bully sticks!

I don't give my Tzu raw hides anymore because many of them have chemicals. I won't give her raw bones, etc due to a few friends/neighbor's dogs having had serious injuries. She won't be bothered with nylabones.

Instead, I give my Tzu a carrot or a stick of celery to chew -- while I supervise. Works like a charm. She also gets her teeth brushed every day.